Elon Musk Reaffirms Tesla Commitment: Five More Years of Visionary Leadership

Tesla CEO Elon Musk publicly announced on Tuesday that he plans to remain at the head of the electric car company for a minimum of the next five years, to answer recent investor concerns about how long he plans to remain to lead the company. Answering in video at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha on Tuesday, Musk was asked directly if he saw himself still leading Tesla in the next five years. "Yes, there is absolutely no doubt about that," Musk answered, reiterating his plans to remain to lead.

 

The comments by Musk come amid heightened scrutiny by shareholders and market analysts, who have accused him of neglecting Tesla in favor of other ventures and recent political activities. Tesla shares have been jittery throughout the year, with some shareholders bemoaning speculative leadership changes.

 

In response to these concerns, Musk indicated that his motivation was not financial, but so that he can exercise "reasonable control over the company's future," i.e., he needs to command enough voting power so that he will not be ousted by activist investors. He also stated that the continuing court skirmishes over his 2018 compensation package would not make him want to quit.

 

In a tongue-in-cheek tone, Musk joked, "I can't still be here if I'm dead," but reaffirmed that he was going to keep leading unless some unplanned things await. He also accepted the vitriol that Tesla has drawn as a result of his political efforts, insisting disagreement with politics is fine but threats and violence are not acceptable.

 

Musk still runs several other successful startups, including SpaceX, X (previously Twitter), and Neuralink, but assured investors he is still dedicated to guiding Tesla into its next phase of growth.

 

Source: Bloomberg